Method for operating a memory device

1. A method for operating, by a control device, a computer-readable memory device which has a plurality of memory blocks, comprising: marking, by the control device, each of the memory blocks according to a status of each memory block, wherein: (i) each memory block temporarily classified as faulty is marked as suspect and is temporarily not used; (ii) each memory block classified as faultless is marked as intact and is further used; and (iii) each memory block permanently classified as faulty is marked as defective and is not used; and monitoring, by the control device, the memory blocks marked as suspect, wherein if the number of memory blocks marked as intact in the memory device falls below a predetermined limit, at least one of the memory blocks marked as suspect is subsequently marked as intact and is used.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a frequency of errors occurring in the memory block is taken into account in the marking of the memory block.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a memory block marked as intact is marked as suspect after an occurrence of an error of a predetermined type.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a memory block marked as suspect is marked as defective after an occurrence of an error of a predetermined type.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein in the case where a memory block marked as suspect does not undergo further changes during a predetermined time period, the memory block marked as suspect is subsequently marked as intact and is reused.

6. A control device for operating a computer-readable memory device, the memory device having a number of blocks, the control device comprising: an arrangement configured to: mark each of the memory blocks according to a status of each memory block, wherein: (i) each memory block temporarily classified as faulty is marked as suspect and is temporarily not used; (ii) each memory block classified as faultless is marked as intact and is further used; and (iii) each memory block permanently classified as faulty is marked as defective and is not used; and monitor the memory blocks marked as suspect, wherein if the number of memory blocks marked as intact in the memory device falls below a predetermined limit, at least one of the memory blocks marked as suspect is subsequently marked as intact and is used.

7. A computer-readable memory device comprising: a plurality of memory blocks; and an arrangement configured to: mark each of the memory blocks according to a status of each memory block, wherein: (i) each memory block temporarily classified as faulty is marked as suspect and is temporarily not used; (ii) each memory block classified as faultless is marked as intact and is further used; and (iii) each memory block permanently classified as faulty is marked as defective and is not used; and monitor the memory blocks marked as suspect, wherein if the number of memory blocks marked as intact in the memory device falls below a predetermined limit, at least one of the memory blocks marked as suspect is subsequently marked as intact and is used.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium containing a computer program having program codes which, when executed by a processor, performs a method for operating a computer-readable memory device which has a plurality of memory blocks, the method comprising: marking each of the memory blocks according to a status of each memory block, wherein: (i) each memory block temporarily classified as faulty is marked as suspect and is temporarily not used; (ii) each memory block classified as faultless is marked as intact and is further used; and (iii) each memory block permanently classified as faulty is marked as defective and is not used; and monitoring the memory blocks marked as suspect, wherein if the number of memory blocks marked as intact in the memory device falls below a predetermined limit, at least one of the memory blocks marked as suspect is subsequently marked as intact and is used.